It’s one of those facts of life - we all need to use a toilet several times a day. While we all use the ones in our homes or public spaces, many of us would feel a lot less comfortable squatting beside a tree.
When we go camping, whether it’s for a night or week, it’s always a good idea to identify an area for people to go to the toilet. While it’s one thing to pee in the bush, it’s another entirely to leave our number 2s lying around as they are not great for the environment, can spread disease and will start to smell very quickly.
In campgrounds and caravan parks around the country, you need to use the supplied facilities or provide your own, and in this article, we will be looking at the best portable camping toilets you and your family can safely and comfortably use while out enjoying the great outdoors!
| Thetford Porta Potti Qube 365 Toilet | Dometic 976 Portable Toilet | Thetford Porta Potti 565E Electric Pump | Elemental Bush Dunny Camping Toilet | Companion Portable Toilet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  | Our Pick  | simple option  |  | |
38.3 x 42.7 x 41.4 cm | 33.5 x 37.8 x 37.8 cm | 38.8 x 45 x 44.8 cm | 40 x 39.5 x 40 cm | 51 x 33 x 32 cm | |
40.8 cm | 37 cm | 44.3 cm | 40 cm | 32 cm | |
Plastic | Plastic | Plastic | Steel/Plastic | Steel/Plastic | |
Manual Piston | Piston to pressurize | Electric | None | None | |
15 L | 8.7 L | 15 L | N/A | N/A | |
21 L | 18.9 L | 21 L | N/A | N/A | |
3.9 kg | 6.35 kg | 5 kg | 5.7 kg | 2 kg | |
3 years | 1 year | 3 Years | 1 Year | 1 Year |
Best Portable Camping Toilets
Thetford Porta Potti Qube 365 Toilet
Best For Simplicity + Safety
Having the ability to take your portaloo out of your vehicle, site it away from your camp area and begin using it right away with zero fuss and zero mess is what makes the Thetford Porta Potti 365 such a great unit.
The entire toilet is self-contained, so up until the point it needs to be emptied you could easily use it anywhere almost like a normal toilet. The height of the seat is great for most people and children and when you are finished you just need to flush it down with a manual pump, which is easy enough.
It comes with a carry handle to make moving it around easy and has solid clips to hold everything in place while doing so. Customer reviews are all very positive, in fact finding a negative was difficult with the only issue being a water seal leaking on one person's unit (that was replaced by warranty).
All in all, it’s an affordable, reliable, functional portable loo for you and your family’s next camping adventure.
Dometic 976 Portable Toilet
Best For Small Groups
A very similar design and price point to the Thetford 365, the Dometic 976 Portable toilet is another option to consider as a camping toilet. This version of their toilet has an increased tank capacity to ensure it will last longer between being emptied and an adult-sized seat, even though the seat height itself is a little low.
The Dometic uses a 360-degree pressure flush function that cleans the bowl more effectively with each flush, along with a carry handle for moving it around. Dometic claims to have a durable and tough design to ensure the toilet lasts you a long time.
The customer reviews on this product are not quite as glowing as the Thetford, many people have complained that the toilet works fine for a while, but then has leaking issues, and not water leaks but sewage leaks which as you can imagine, is not ideal.
If you don’t need to move it very often, this will work just fine, but given the leaking issues, purchasing the near-identical Thetford 365 may be a better and safer option.
Thetford Porta Potti 565E Electric Pump
Our Pick
The self-contained units are the easiest to both use and move around and the Thetford 365 we reviewed above is already rated highly, however, the engineers at Thetford were not done yet and they designed and produced a toilet that is close to perfect.
While it’s not cheap, the Thetford Porta Potti 565 Electric Pump is the granddaddy of portable camping toilets. It’s higher so sitting is more comfortable, the seat is moulded for comfort, it has a large holding tank, an electric flush and even a toilet roll holder.
The Thetford 565 has been manufactured with details in mind in order to give you the best outdoor toilet experience possible. Customer reviews are all 5 stars, with no reports or leakage or any other issue. So if you want the best and can afford the best, then the Thetford 565 is one purchase that will keep, umm, 'taking' from you and your family for years to come.
Elemental Bush Dunny Camping Toilet
Best Simple Option
Not everyone needs (or can afford) a fully contained toilet unit for your camping holidays and the Elemental Outback Dunny is as simple as you can get. This style has been around in Australia for a long long time as it's simple and effective, even if it comes with some flies and a smell.
In essence, this toilet is a seat with some supporting walls that you place over a bucket (or a hole in the ground in a designated area) and do your business. It is very strong, with the seat being rated to 200 kg, is lightweight and can be set up in seconds.
The majority of reviews are very positive, it's simple but it works. Some issues include it being messier to clean or empty the bucket underneath, it has a habit of sinking into soft ground, the seat is a little uncomfortable and for larger people, wiping can be an issue. That being said, for a simple and budget-friendly camping toilet solution – the Elemental Bush Dunny is as iconic as it is simple and easy to use.
Companion Portable Toilet
Best For Young Children
When it comes to absolute simplicity, the Companion Portable Toilet has taken a leaf out of the bush dunny’s handbook and made it even simpler. This toilet is essentially a folding stool with a seat and a plastic bag.
It is very light so is better suited to young children as opposed to fully grown adults, both with its low height and low weight tolerance. While the frame is made out of steel, it's still only rated to 70 kg, inviting a late-night balancing accident when Dad has a go at it.
Reviews are mixed across the board, the size is an obvious issue for many people, along with the low height and stability issues. Coupled with clear plastic bags you essentially need to take out with you, cleaning and disposal are not straightforward with this unit.
This toilet is best as a backup or for younger kids given how quick it can be set up, as opposed to a group of adults out for a week by a river.
What To Look For When Buying A Camping Toilet
Before heading out to buy your toilet, consider the following important factors first.
Do I Need A Camping Toilet?
The first question you need to ask yourself is why do I need a camping toilet? If you exclusively stay in caravan parks where the facilities are provided or always stay in campgrounds that maintain public facilities you may not need one at all.
If you venture further out, away from civilization, then your needs may change.
A portable toilet brings with it both pros and cons. They are great at bringing you the peace of mind that you can go easily at any time of the day or night, especially if you have children with you.
There is no need to go digging holes and the use of a portable toilet is no doubt cleaner and better for the environment than squatting behind a tree.
They do require you to dispose of your waste however and many people find that can be an issue as correct disposal requires emptying your toilet at a proper sewage disposable location.
Hygiene can also be an issue too if loads of different people are using the same toilet.
When you decide that yes, you and your family do need to purchase a portable toilet, then you need to decide what type.
This will depend on your budget, the number of times you actually go camping every year, how often you spend while out each time and how many people you go camping with.
Camping Toilet Type
The types of toilets you purchase will depend on some of the considerations highlighted above. There are two main types of camping toilets and they differ in price, ease of use and disposal methods.
Porta Potti style
The first three camping toilets we reviewed in this article are all Porta Potti style toilets (with two of them even having this in the name). They are self-contained units that you can use until they are full and then are taken to a disposal site and emptied.
They tend to be comfortable, have minimal smell and require little maintenance other than emptying and cleaning. They do use chemicals internally and are quite a lot more expensive than other types along with being a little bulky in your vehicle.
This style of toilet is suitable for anyone who wants an experience close to their home toilet while camping. People with children, the elderly or those with mobility issues will find that using a toilet like the Thetford 565E that can be located very close to the camp as there is no smell, is their best option.
They are the most common type of caravan toilet in use.
Seat and Bucket style
The last two toilets we reviewed, the Elemental Bush Dunny and Companion Portable Toilet are seat and bucket style. They are simpler and at the very basic level can literally be a toilet seat on a bucket. These styles are far cheaper than the Porta Potti style, but they do come with some drawbacks.
As the waste ends up in a bucket or a plastic bag, disposal can feel a little messier and smellier. These toilets, while in use also need to be located further from camp as they do tend to smell, even with chemicals in the bucket.
While not the best camping toilet, this style of toilet is best suited for budget campers, those who don’t mind a little bit of a smell while doing their business or for people who camp infrequently. They are effective and workable, just not quite the same experience as the self-contained Porta Potti units.
Camping Toilets FAQ
Can you empty a camping toilet at home?
Yes, the tank can be emptied into a toilet on a town sewage system, but not into a septic tank on a farm or elsewhere
Where do you empty a camping toilet?
All major towns in Australia have a dump point where you can dispose of your waste. They are run by a local council and are designated for motorhomes, caravans and RVs and are called dump stations, dump points or sanidump stations. Caravan parks also have these points too.
Do portable camping toilets smell?
Yes, the self-contained units smell far less than the bucket style, however, there is an ever-present chemical pungent smell.
How often do you need to empty a portable toilet?
You need to empty your portable toilet when the self-contained unit indicates that it is full or your bucket or plastic bag is full.
Final Thoughts
If you like the idea of being self-contained while camping, getting a camping toilet is essential. They also reduce the impact on the environment, stop the spread of disease and are the best option for you and your family to enjoy your adventure responsibly and safely.
If you can afford it, the Thetford Porta Potti 565E is your best bet. It is the most comfortable, comes with an electric pump, and has all the features you could hope to get from a portable camping toilet.
If budget is an issue or you simply prefer a simpler option, consider getting the Elemental Bush Dunny camping toilet. Lastly, the Companion portable toilet is good for families with kids.
If you want more privacy while using your camping toilet, consider getting a shower/toilet tent - they will make the whole experience much better.
Have any questions about camping toilets? Want to share your own experiences? Leave a comment below!
